Rubber nipple for nursing-bottles.



. PATENTED APR. 21, 1903. W. P. WARE. RUBBER NIPPLE FOR NURSING BOTTLES.

APPLICATION IILED P133. 1, 1902.

SPEOIMENS.

Zia/era? WzZZ'er Wkre I I flwfm f sd w wawya U ITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

WALTEIt'F. WARE, OF OA MDEN,'NEW JERSEY.

RUBBER NIPPLE Fos' NURSING-BOTTLES.

SIPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 726,122, dated April 21, 1903.

I Application filed February 1,1902. Serial No. 92,121. (Specimens) To all whom it may concern:

certain new and useful Improvements in Rubber Nipples for Nursing-Bottles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

, This invention-relates to improvements in rubber nipples for'n'ursing-bottles, and particularly to valvesfor the same for the purpose of admitting air to the interior of the bottle without allowing the contents of the same to escape and is an improvement upon the device covered by my prior patent, No. 380,835, granted April 10, 1888.

In general, the nature of the invention consists in providing the inner surface of'the nipple at a point near its greatest diameter with a flexible flap, upon the under side of which is formed a recess, the latter having an opening or small aperture which communicates with the exterior. Means are also provided for holding the nipple in position upon the end of the bottle-neck.

Figure 1 represents an elevationof a bottle with the nipple attached. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the nipple and a portion of the bottle-neck; and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the nipple, taken substantially upon the line 3 3 in Fig. 2. g

In the drawings, 1 represents a nipple of the usual form, having an enlarged base portion terminating in an interior annular flange 2. A second, but smaller, annular flange 3 is provided upon the interior of the enlarged portion of the nipple and just above/the part having the greatest diameter, which, with the aforesaid flange, forms means for retaining the nipple in position upon the beaded or flanged end of the neck of the bottle.

From the interior surface of the enlarged portion of the nipple aflexible flap 4 projects, which, as shown, may form an extension of thesmallerinteriorretaining-flange. Asmall opening or orifice connects the space beneath the flap with the outside air. A small recess 5 may be provided upon the under side of the flap, into which the orifice opens in 1 order to improve the action of the flap and Be it known that LWALTER F. WARE, a citi zen of the United States, and a resident of Camden, State of New J ersey,'have invented allow the same to act more in the nature of a valve and also to prevent the orifice from becoming clogged or choked. The flexible flap is designed to restupon the end of the bottle-neck, and thereby close communication with the exterior of the nipple. The usual opening 8 is provided at the end of the nipple. As is well known in connection with bottles of this character a suction or partial vacuum is created within the same when in use, and unlessan opening is provided for the admission of air this vacuum increases to such an extent that the contents cannot readily be withdrawn. In providing such an opening difficnlty has been experienced in preventing the contents of the bottle from escaping or leaking out through the same and in providingsimple and effcient means to accomplish that purpose. 7

By the invention herein set forth the air is admitted to the interior of the bottle and at the same time the contents prevented from escaping in a more efficient and reliable manner than heretofore attained and with a reduction in the number of parts and a simplification of the construction not heretofore known. It will readily be seen that when a slight vacuum is formed Within the bottle the flexible flap will be raised to a small extent and air thereby admitted; but any. internal pressure which would otherwise cause the contents to exude tends only to press the flap upon the bottleneck, and thereby more securely close the outlet. The construction also results in a nipple which contains a high degree of sanitary and hygienic qualities. The surface of the nipple may easily be reversed, and thereby all the parts are exposed for cleansing and disinfecting, there being no covered or inaccessible recesses to retain particles or globules of the contents of the nursing-bottle or the germs of disease.

I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of form and proportions herein set forth, and minor changes self suggestive to one skilled in the art' may-be made without departing from the spiritof my invention. For

example, the secondary retaining-flange may be omitted or small individual projections substituted therefor,or a shallow groove might" be used without flanges or projections. The flap may also be adapted to rest upon other parts of the neck than that shown.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

l. A nipple for nursing-bottles having a portion adapted to fit over and be retained upon the neck of the bottle, in combination with an interior flexible flap adapted to rest upon the bottle-neck and an opening in the wall of the nipple, communicating with the space beneath the flap and the exterior of the nipple, substantially as described.

2. A nipple for nursing-bottles having a portion adapted to fit over and be retained upon the bottle-neck, in combination with an interior flap located above the retaining portion and adapted to rest upon the top'of the bottle-neck, means for positively retaining the nipple in position and an opening in the wall of the nipple communicating with the space beneath the flap and the exterior of the nipple, substantially as described.

3. A nipple for nursing-bottles having a portion adapted to fit over and be retained upon the bottle-neck, in combination with an interior flap adapted to rest upon the bottleneck, flanges for positively retaining the nipple in position and an opening in the wall of the nipple, communicating with the space beneath the flap and the exterior of the nipple, substantially as described.

4. A nipple for nursing-bott1es having a portion adapted to fit over and be retained upon the bottle-neck in combination with an interior flap adapted to rest upon the bottleneck, a comparatively large interior annular flange adjacent the opening of the enlarged portion of the nipple, a second smaller interior annular flange within said first-named flange, an interior flexible flap forming an extension of said second flange and adapted to rest upon the bottle-neck, and an opening in the wall of the nipple, communicating with the space beneath the flap and the exterior of the nipple, substantiallyas described.

5.- A nipple for nursing-bottles having a portion adapted to fit over and be retained upon the neck of the bottle, in combination with an interior integral flexible flap having a recess upon its under side and adapted to rest upon the bottle-neck, an opening in the wall of the nipple, communicating with said recess and the exterior of the nipple and means for positively retaining the nipple in position upon the bottle-neck, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of January, A. D. 1902.

WALTER F. WARE.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR E. NITZSCHE, EDW. W. VAILL, Jr. 

